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Q-What do I need to view the WNBA Broadband Season Pass?
1. Operating System and Browser Requirements
The operating system you use determines which browser you need to view videos:
If you use Windows 98, NT, 2000, XP, ME, use one of the following browsers:
i. Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher
ii. Netscape 7.X
iii. Mozilla/Firefox 1.X
2. Internet Explorer users need Windows Media Player 7.1 or higher
3. Netscape and Mozilla users need Windows Media Player 7.1 or higher.
If you are using Windows Media Player 7.1 or later, Mozilla will detect and use the Windows Media Player plugin if it is installed.
Netscape 7.2 uses the Windows Media Player ActiveX control if it is installed.
To use the Windows Media Player ActiveX control with Firefox 1.0, see the Embedded Windows Media in Firefox 1.0 thread at the MozillaZine Forums.
4. Cookie Requirements
Cookies (Internet Files/Web Pages temporarily stored on your computer)
must be enabled to watch the WNBA Broadband Season Pass. If your cookies are not enabled,
you will get a message when you try to access the WNBA Broadband Season Pass.
Click here to find out how to enable cookies on your computer.
Q-How can I resolve problems accessing the WNBA Broadband Season Pass?
If you are unable to enter the WNBA Broadband Season Pass:
1. Verify that you meet the system requirements as outlined in What do I need to view the WNBA Broadband Season Pass?
2. If you meet the system requirements but still have difficulty accessing the WNBA Broadband Season Pass, we recommend you disable any ad or pop up blocking software tools, including dial-up accelerators, that you may have installed and try again.
3. If you continue to have difficulty viewing WNBA Broadband Season Pass, describe your problem on the WNBA Broadband technical support form.
Q-How can I resolve problems with playback in WNBA Broadband Season Pass?
If video displays as a slide show, or if you receive audio without video, you may be experiencing problems due to bandwidth congestion:
1. Verify other streaming applications (including mp3 players) are not running.
2. Try changing the connection speed. Go to Tools � Options � Performance. Under Connection Speed there are two (2) options: a. Detect Connection Speed (recommended) and b. Choose Connection Speed. Usually best performance is achieved with Detect Connection Speed. However, try clicking Choose Connection Speed and test a variety of the choices to see what works best. This process allows you to toggle between the narrowband (for 56k users) and broadband connection speeds to determine which performs better for you.
3. If you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer, do you have the security setting at "Medium" or lower? Some streams do not work on systems set to high security. If you need to change your security settings, restart your computer completely before trying again. If your memory or cache file folders are full you may experience audio streaming errors, try emptying your Temporary Internet files, and any addition files, such as the contents of the recycling bin.
4. If the problem persists, we also recommend checking back at a time when your Internet service provider may experience less congestion to see if there is an improvement.
If you receive video without audio:
1. Verify that your system audio works by playing another audio application and/or checking your speaker and headphone wires.
If you do not receive video or audio, or if you only see advertisements:
1. If you are using ad-blocking or pop-up blocking software, you may experience problems streaming video. We recommend you disable the software and try accessing again. 2. If you are behind a firewall or proxy server, you may experience problems streaming video.
For details on how to configure Windows Media Player to receive video through a firewall see http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/serve/firewall.aspx.
For tips on optimizing Windows Media Player, visit http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/knowledgecenter/FAQ.aspx.
Q-Are cookies required to view the WNBA Broadband Season Pass?
You will not be able to enter the WNBA Broadband Season Pass if the cookies (Internet Files/Web Pages temporarily stored on your computer) are disabled. Following are step-by-step instructions to enable the cookies. Note that these instructions may vary slightly for different browser versions.
INTERNET EXPLORER 6.0: 1. Start Internet Explorer. 2. Click the Tools menu and choose Internet Options. 3. Click the Privacy tab to display the Privacy panel. 4. Use the vertical slide bar to adjust your privacy settings to Medium High. 5. Click the Advanced button. 6. Verify that the Override Automatic Cookie Handling option is not checked. Note that if you prefer to use the Override Automatic Cookie Handling option, you must accept first-party cookies to enter the WNBA Broadband Season Pass. Though not required for entry, we strongly recommend also accepting third-party cookies for the best WNBA Broadband Season Pass experience. 7. Click OK. 8. Click OK again. 9. Close all open Internet Explorer browsers. 10. Reopen the browser and return to a WNBA Broadband Season Pass site.
INTERNET EXPLORER 5.5: 1. Start Internet Explorer. 2. Click the Tools menu and choose Internet Options. 3. Click the Security tab and the Custom Level button. 4. Scroll down to the "Cookies" section and select "Enable" for both: Allow cookies that are stored on your computer. Allow per-session cookies (not stored). 5. Click OK and YES to the confirmation message. 6. Click OK again. 7. Close all open Internet Explorer browsers. 8. Reopen the browser and return to a WNBA Broadband Season Pass site.
NETSCAPE: 1. Start Netscape. 2. Click the Edit menu and choose Preferences. 3. Click the Advanced category on the bottom left. 4. Select "Accept all cookies" in the Cookies section. 5. Click OK. 6. Close all open Netscape browsers. 7. Open Netscape and return to a WNBA Broadband Season Pass site.
MOZILLA FIREFOX: 1. Start Firefox. 2. Click Tools and choose Options. 3. Click the Privacy icon in the left-hand side column. Click the Plus(+) sign next to Cookies in the right-hand side pane. 4. Check the box "Allow sites to set cookies." 5. Click OK. 6. Close all open Firefox browsers. 7. Open Firefox and return to a WNBA Broadband Season Pass site.-
Q-Where can I view the WNBA Broadband Season Pass's Privacy Policy?
Click here to view the WNBA Broadband Season Pass Privacy Policy. -
Q-If I have lost or forgotten my e-mail username and password, how can I get them so I can log in to my WNBA Broadband Season Pass Account?
Click here to get your forgotten password - Q-Why do I receive "could not connect" error messages with Windows Media Player?
"Could not connect" errors generally mean that that Windows Media Player did not connect to the computer that serves the media content (the server); they may also mean that the link you clicked is out-of-date. Common "could not connect to server" errors include:
- Could not connect to server.
- The connection to the server has been lost.
- Cannot open 'http://www.location name.com/file name'. Please verify that the path and filename are correct and try again.
- Media Player cannot open: http://Web address. Please verify that the path and filename are correct and try again.
- The operation timed out, possibly due to network problems.
Connection errors that occur on specific sites or that only occur once in a while are not usually a cause for concern. Occasional errors tend to occur when traffic is high on the Internet, the site hosting the files is down, or the site hosting the file has been moved.
Connection errors that occur at all sites on a recurring basis indicate a problem with the Windows Media Player connection configuration or your Internet connection. To allow Windows Media Player to connect, you may need to reconfigure Windows Media Player or your security software.
If you get one of these errors, it may mean that Windows Media Player did not receive enough information to maintain a connection to the server, or that Windows Media Player stopped receiving information from the server for an extended period and could not maintain the connection. The problem could be caused by excessive network traffic on the Internet, your Internet Service Provider (ISP), or a local area network (LAN) connection.
Solution 1: Determine if the problem is with the specific file.
To rule out a problem with the file itself, try playing sample files:
1. Open http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;316992 in your Web browser.
2. Choose some sample video files. Example: Windows Media Video(.wmv, .wm).
If the sample files play, then the problem may be with the specific Web site, or with the file you were trying to play. This may be a temporary problem of high traffic or technical difficulties. Try again later, or contact the Webmaster of the site to alert them to the problem.
Solution 2: Test your connection speed.
1. In Windows Media Player, click the Tools menu, then select Options, and then select Performance.
2. In the Connection Speed section, click "Choose Connection Speed."
3. Click OK.
4. Try to play the clip again.
Solution 3: Change the buffer settings.
1. In Windows Media Player, click the Tools menu, and then select Options.
2. In the Network buffering section, click Buffer.
3. Then type 30 in the text box. (60 seconds is the maximum.) This setting may improve playback. However, when you increase the buffer time, the system must wait while the player fills the buffer before it starts to play streaming media.
4. Click OK.
5. Try to play the clip again.
6. If you still have problems, increase the buffer settings by another 10 seconds and try again.
Keep trying until the clip plays or it becomes obvious that increasing the buffer setting will not resolve this problem.
Solution 4: Play the clip when the network and Internet are less busy.
If you are unable to play the clip after trying these suggestions, try connecting to the clip at a different time.
Solution 5: Configure your personal firewall or security software to allow Windows Media Player access to the Internet.
Solution 6: Verify that your corporate firewall or proxy allows Windows Media Player access to the Internet.
Your computer may be behind a firewall that has not had the appropriate ports opened for use with NetShow Services. However, if a server has HTTP streaming enabled, Windows Media Player can take advantage of its protocol rollover capabilities and receive the file through HTTP instead of through the typical, and optimal, streaming protocols. That is why you can receive content from some sites but not others. For consistent results, encourage your administrator to open the appropriate ports on the firewall to permit streaming.
Solution 7: Contact your ISP or network administrator for assistance.
If you are still unable to connect, the problem may be with your computer network settings. Contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or network administrator for the information you need to regain connection.
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Q- When I try and play WNBA Broadband Season Pass content I have a "plugin error" in my web browser
This error is a problem with your web browser and it's ability to communicate with Windows Media Player. You may need to re-install your Windows Media Player software. Please review the requirements under "What do I need to view the WNBA Broadband Season Pass" section above.
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Q-How can I tell if high network traffic is affecting playback in Windows Media Player?
Special events and high network traffic can cause playback problems. When many people are trying to access a Web page or a video at the same time, this causes high network traffic. When the player encounters high traffic, it degrades quality in an attempt to maintain continuous playback.
You can see or hear the degraded quality in the playback. You can also see indications of this in the Status bar across the bottom of the Windows Media Player. The status bar displays messages about the status of the resulting stream. These messages can be used to troubleshoot some problems:
The timestamp (on the right side of the Status bar) normally displays the amount of time you have been connected to the Internet via the Windows Media Player.
On the left-side of the Status bar there is a small animated icon that indicates the streaming status of the clip. It should appear to be moving. If it looks like it is running slow or stopped all together, then that is an indication there may be some network traffic affecting playback.
Between the icon and the timestamp you may see one of the following messages.
Connecting to... Windows Media Player is trying to make a connection to the server you specified. Buffering... Windows Media Player has established a connection to the server and is filling its buffer before attempting to play your stream. The specified server could not be found. Windows Media Player is unable to connect to the server. Double-check the URL for mistakes in the server name. Access is denied. Windows Media Player can connect to the server, but the server cannot read the requested file due to file permissions. Unable to establish a connection to the server. Windows Media Player has established a connection to the server, but the server cannot find the requested file or cannot access it due to directory permissions. Double-check the URL for mistakes in the path and file name. This may be an indication of a problem on the server�s side.
You will usually see "Connecting to..." or "Buffering..." when you first start a streaming clip. However, if these messages seem to linger for a long period of time with no video/audio playback this might be an indication of network traffic affecting playback.
These problems with your video playback signal a high-traffic issue. Unfortunately, high network traffic is beyond your control, and you may just need to try again later. -
Q-How can I spot a high-traffic problem?
The Windows Media Player is handling Internet traffic well when content is playing, the timestamp is counting up normally, and the streaming icon to the left on the status bar is moving quickly.
Here are some high-traffic signs to watch for, in increasing severity:
Constant stopping and going of video and buffering in status bar.
- Video stops and "Connecting to..." or "Buffering..." appears again in status bar
- Video/audio is does not play steadily.
- "Connecting to..." or "Buffering..." messages linger in status bar for long periods of time
These problems with your video playback signal a high-traffic issue. Unfortunately, high network traffic is beyond your control, and you may just need to try again later.
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Q-Could it be a problem with my Windows Media Player?
You can always double-check that your Windows Media Player is functioning properly. To rule out a problem with your Windows Media Player, try playing sample files:
1. Open http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;316992 in your Web browser.
2. Select sample files to play.
If the sample files play, then Windows Media Player is functioning correctly. The problem may be with the specific file you were trying to play. -
Would ad or pop-up blockers effect my viewing of WNBA.com video?
If you have Norton Internet security: please make sure that NIS is not blocking ads on WNBA.com this feature blocks the connection to the video content. One way to turn this off just for the WNBA.com site is to look at your browsers tool bar for the "Norton Internet Security" tool, click on the drop down and make sure that "block ads on this site" is not selected. If it is deselect it, clear your browsers cache, and then reconnect.It may be necessary to completely disable the Ad Blocker and/or Pop-up Blocker functions in Norton. If the above steps do not work, please use the following instructions.
To enable Ad Blocking
1. In the main window, on the left side click Norton AntiSpam.
2. Click Ad Blocking > Turn On.
3. If an Ad Blocking window appears click OK.To disable Ad Blocking
1. In the main window, on the left side click Norton AntiSpam.
2. Click Ad Blocking > Turn Off.To enable Pop-up Blocking
1. In the main window, on the left side click Norton AntiSpam.
2. Click Pop-up Blocking > Turn On.To disable Pop-up Blocking
1. In the main window, on the left side click Norton AntiSpam.
2. Click Pop-up Blocking > Turn Off.If you have the Zone Alarm Security Suite, this program may be blocking your connection to the WNBA videos. To solve this issue, open the Zone Alarm configuration page by double clicking the ZA icon near your clock, or go to Start > Programs > Zone Labs > Zone Alarm Security. Click "Privacy" from the left column. Under the heading "Cookie Control" please set the slider to Medium. Close the ZA control program, close the WNBA video pop-up window, then attempt to connect to any of the WNBA videos again.
If you are using any other firewall, ad-blocking or pop-up blocker you may need to disable it in order to view WNBA broadband.
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Q-How do I contact support?
If you are still having issues playing content, you may contact support through our 24 hour support form. Please include a full description of your problem.